


Ruse

by bookskitten



Category: Dress Up! Time Princess (Video Game)
Genre: Alternative Scene, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26841388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookskitten/pseuds/bookskitten
Summary: It took a little bit more than just Vittorio's presence to drive away whoever was following her.
Relationships: Elizabeth Colvin/Vittorio Puzo
Comments: 1
Kudos: 68





	Ruse

**Author's Note:**

> Plot? Don't know her.

Elizabeth Colvin was not having a good evening. After being fired from her internship post at the Sun News for her article about the Metropolitan Hospital, she expected… well, nothing really. Losing your work while on the verge of being evicted was supposed to be as bad as it gets, right? 

No, not quite.

She must have spoken some sort of jinx into existence because there was no other reason why she would end up being chased by a mugger the exact same night. At least, she _hoped_ it was a mugger. She tried to run the best she could in her heels, but even the most comfortable of them were making for loose sports shoes. But there was no time to complain. 

Her entire self was buzzing with adrenaline, her breath heaving from the running and the panic. In the back of her mind, she knew the streets of New York were never this empty. Something was very, _very_ wrong, but she couldn’t bring herself to care now. She needed to keep going. She barely gasped at the sound of the shotgun going off somewhere behind her. She kept moving as quickly as she could, ignoring the small alley and going through the main street. As she turned the corner and reached a darker part of the street, she almost screamed in delight. Just a little further ahead there was a man. With the last of her energy, she sprinted to him.

“Sir, please!” Elizabeth managed to gasp out, almost falling onto him.

The man, glanced down at her, clearly bothered by her intrusion on his silence, before his expression changed to something she couldn’t quite place. Had it been normal circumstances, she might have attempted to read him, but there was nothing even remotely normal about this evening. 

“A strange person is following me." she continued, in a calmer voice, hoping to stir a reaction. "Sir, I am sorry, but I don't have any other option.”

There was barely a moment of hesitation, before the man’s lips upturned in what could only be described as a wicked smile. Elizabeth’s heart was ready to jump out of her chest and not from the running. Was it not a good idea to ask him for help?

“Calm down, my dear.” his deep voice had a smoothness to it. It felt as being engulfed by the most precious of velvets. ”I won’t leave you.”

Elizabeth was doing her best to regulate her breath, as he ran his hands across her arms comfortingly before pulling her shawl tighter around her. 

“I… I know, but I missed you so!” she acted along with his ruse, hoping his presence would deter whoever was following her.

His dark eyes glanced to the side for a second, before tugging her in between himself and the wall. She could no longer see the street, his tall figure obstructing her view.

“Sorry, nurse.”

Elizabeth barely had time to register his words. The next thing she knew was being kissed. His arms pulled her flush against his body. If there were any coherent thoughts left in her mind after the chase, they were gone now. She simply melted in his embrace. All she could process was the taste of his lips and the warmth of his body. Tobacco wasn't to her liking, but she would make an exception now. She doubted it would taste this pleasant in any other situation. 

The kiss ended rather abruptly. It was probably a good call. Elizabeth has been so entranced by it, she forgot how necessary breathing was. An inconvenience, if she ever had to deal with one.

"Come along." 

Elizabeth blinked, trying to regain her composure. He moved just a few steps further down the street and opened the side door of a car for her. She looked at him but didn't move from her spot. After the slight brush with what would have been a terrible fate, she felt reluctant to get in a stranger's car. No matter how amazing he was at kissing her.

It took no time for him to notice her hesitation. It seemed to amuse him if the slight upward curl of his lips was anything to go by. "Aren't your feet tired, nurse?"

Nurse. He called her that before he pulled her into the kiss too. But why... _oh_. With her mind much clearer, she recalled it. The man from the hospital. And he remembered her. Luck certainly worked in mysterious ways.

"My name is Elizabeth Colvin." she offered, smiling his way. Between a meeting, while she was illegally sneaking into a hospital to collect information and kissing each other, even for very practical reasons... well, they weren't strangers for sure. "Nice to meet you."

"Vittorio Puzo." he nodded. "Well met."

 _Yeah, you can say that again_ , Elizabeth thought, involuntary licking her lips. Pushing the thought aside, she straightened her back and got in the car. She had a good feeling about Mr. Puzo. And it had nothing to do with how well he knew how to use his tongue.

After asking for her address and her giving him just a vague nearby drop point, a silence fell over them. She didn't mind. With all the adrenaline gone, she felt quite exhausted. And yes, he has been right. Her feet did hurt. She took off her shoes and sighed in relief. She glanced out, seeing the city's lights pass by them, and mulled over the last hour and so.

"Why did you apologise?" she asked, finally breaking the silence between them. "Before the kiss, I mean."

"I do tend to strike more than two lines of conversation with fine ladies such as yourself before I pursue any other activity. And I didn't want you to believe I was trying to take advantage of the situation you were in."

She bit her lip to hide her amusement. Fine lady was not a term used to describe noisy, poor girls from the Midwest. But she will take the compliment.

They arrived at the park she indicated less than three minutes after. Elizabeth got out of the car, but she spun on her heels before he had the chance to leave.

"Why was that mugger following me?"

"That wasn't a mugger, Miss Colvin." 

She didn't even flinch. That was the confirmation she needed to know she wasn't imagining things. A good reporter always gets their facts checked after all.

"Mr. Puzo?" she called as he was ready to close the lowered window. He stopped and glanced at her curiously. "Thank you for your help."

He seemed taken aback by her gratitude, even though the surprise on his expression vanished a second after. "My pleasure, Miss Colvin. You should be more mindful of your well-being. Have a good evening."

"You too." He gave her a short wave and a nod before closing window.

She watched him drive away until the car disappeared from sight. 

"Vittorio Puzo." she whispered to herself, touching her lips. She could still feel the taste of apple flavoured tobacco. She smiled, taking another look towards the direction in which he drove off, before walking towards her home.

Elizabeth had a feeling this won't be the last time they see each other.


End file.
